Journalism of Courage
Reveals inspection by defence estates authorities; Lt Colonel (Retd) Suresh Patil cries foul
A retired Lt Colonel who has been alleging anomalies in construction the Presidents post-retirement bungalow has virtually been asked to clean his own backyard first by the defence estates authorities following an inspection of the bungalow where he has been living since 1993.
The inspection revealed that Lt Colonel (Retd) Suresh Patil allegedly has seven unauthorised constructions totalling 1694 sq ft on the premises. The defence estates report also lists Patils 164 sq ft office used for his NGO Green Thumb and Justice for Jawans as unauthorised constructions.
Lt Colonel (Retd) Patil called the inspection on the Bungalow-4A,Nehru Marg,by the defence estates authorities as a vindictive act in reaction to objections he had raised against the Presidents post-retirement bungalow in Khadki.
G S Rajeswaran,DEO,Pune Circle,however,said,The inspection was carried out following a letter to us by higher authorities. The fact that action has been taken now is just a coincidence as the inspection letter was issued in December last year. Details regarding unauthorised construction on the premises have been listed and will be forwarded to Southern Command Headquarters for further action,along with Pune Cantonment Board (PCB),which in turn will take necessary action.
The bungalow on a 1.2-acre plot,General Land Register (GLR) survey number 163,is an Old Grant Bungalow having Holder of Occupancy Rights (HOR) with Major (Retd) D V Panse who has been residing there since 1985. Panse has rented out six rooms of the bungalow,three each to a businessman,one Khandelwal (his full name could not be ascertained). Lt Col Patil has been a tenant since 1993.
While Khandelwal had taken 2600 sq ft on rent in the main bungalow besides 1,000 sq ft in the outhouse; Patil had taken 800 sq ft on rent.
In fact,an inspection had been carried out by the DEO,Pune Circle,on the portion occupied by the businessman as well. Panse had on December 14,2011,written to the businessman asking him to remove unauthorised constructions. The letter was forwarded to the DEO,on December 15 and the DEO had inspected the portion occupied by Khandelwal about a month ago.
Mondays inspection of the portion occupied by Patil followed a reminder by the authorities. The alleged unauthorised construction by Patil include 154 sq ft meeting place constructed using wooden logs and mesh covered with plastic sheets,a verandah measuring 1016 sq ft constructed using wooden logs and aluminium sheets and three sheds,two measuring about 100 sq ft and one about 132 sq ft,along with a 169 sq ft wooden platform erected around a tree.
Patil,an infantry officer who retired from 14 Grenadiers Regiment,said,The sheds and the office have been made using wood and calling them a construction is inappropriate. They are shelters. Two of the DEO personnel barged into my office on Monday in my absence and I have filed an FIR at Wanowri station regarding the matter, said
Patil has been paying Rs 100 as rent for the premises since 1993.
